PostHog vs Mixpanel

Self-host swap-in for Mixpanel. · Self-host Mixpanel · PostHog on os-alt

PostHog is one of the open-source self-host replacements for Mixpanel — license MIT (core) / Functional Source (cloud-only modules), 30min docker-compose (single-node) to stand up, and $20-40 vps — clickhouse is the heavy process, wants 4gb+ ram. Compare against Mixpanel's Free up to 1M events/mo; Growth from $20/mo and scales fast below.

	PostHogopen-source	Mixpanelpaid SaaS
Category	Product analytics	Product analytics
License / pricing	`MIT (core) / Functional Source (cloud-only modules)`	Free up to 1M events/mo; Growth from $20/mo and scales fast
Starting price	$0 self-host	$20/user/mo
GitHub	PostHog/posthog ★ 34.5k · last commit todayalive	closed source
Setup time	30min docker-compose (single-node)	SaaS — sign up + bill
Monthly cost	$20-40 VPS — ClickHouse is the heavy process, wants 4GB+ RAM.	from $20/user/mo (Free up to 1M events/mo; Growth from $20/mo and scales fast)

Switching from Mixpanel to PostHog

Run the PostHog and Mixpanel SDKs side-by-side for 1-2 weeks. PostHog ships a Mixpanel historical-import plugin (Pipelines → Sources → Mixpanel) that pulls past events via Mixpanel's Raw Data Export API. Map distinct_id → person properties.

Full step-by-step migration guide →

Good fit for: Product teams who want analytics, session replay, and flags in one tool.
Weak at: Single-node ClickHouse setup is finicky to scale beyond a few million events/day.
License note: Self-host (open-source edition) covers product analytics, session replay, feature flags, and experiments. A few cloud-only modules are not in the OSS edition.

Other open-source self-host alternatives to Mixpanel

Plausible
AGPL-3.015min docker-compose$5 VPS for a typical small site.
Countly
AGPL-3.030min (their installer or docker-compose)$10 VPS — Mongo-backed, plan for 4GB RAM.

PostHog also replaces

Amplitude— Product analytics / event tracking / funnels
FullStory— Session replay + product analytics

In a terminal? npx os-alt mixpanel prints Mixpanel's self-host options — how the CLI works →

FAQ

Is PostHog a free alternative to Mixpanel?

Yes — PostHog is open source under MIT (core) / Functional Source (cloud-only modules). Self-host cost: $20-40 VPS — ClickHouse is the heavy process, wants 4GB+ RAM.. Mixpanel starts at $20/user/mo (Free up to 1M events/mo; Growth from $20/mo and scales fast).

How long does PostHog take to set up vs Mixpanel?

Self-hosting PostHog: 30min docker-compose (single-node). Mixpanel is a hosted SaaS — sign up and you're in.

What is PostHog good at, and what is it weak at?

Good fit for: Product teams who want analytics, session replay, and flags in one tool.. Weak at: Single-node ClickHouse setup is finicky to scale beyond a few million events/day..